We are into summer now and the reserve is full of life both new and old after a very successful breeding season. The new scrape is proving itself to be a huge success with a wide variety of bird species. Green sandpiper, redshank, common sandpiper, snipe, dunlin, and whimbrel have all been spotted enjoying the scrape. An oystercatcher was also spotted with its young chick making for a truly glorious sight. The lapwings have also had a successful breeding season and have been using good use of the scrape. Lapwings are truly stunning birds and make for a magnificent sight during the breeding season, males will impress the females with their fantastic areal displays and their famous "peewit" call. Lapwing are classified as a red listed species as well as a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Therefore, it is truly wonderful to have them breeding on the reserve.
Oystercatcher with chick on the scrape
Most exciting though was the arrival of four little ringed plover chicks. The chicks hatched under cover, just off the scrapes and are the first ever little ringed plover chicks to be born here!
The trails have been buzzing with plenty of juvenile birds trying to make sense of their new world. Juvenile great tit, blue tit, coal tit, chaffinch and robin are amongst the juvenile birds delighting visitors. A juvenile great spotted woodpecker was also seen at the feeding station on the Aird Meadow trail. Great spotted woodpeckers can often be heard before they are seen as they will drum against dead trees and branches and the male will do this to claim ownership of his territory and to attract a mate. They will hollow out a hole in a tree to nest and both parents will incubate the eggs and feed the chicks.
Juvenile robin photographed on the reserve
Great spotted woodpecker photographed on the reserve
A spotted flycatcher pair have also been seen on the Aird Meadow trail. Spotted flycatchers are migrant visitors, arriving in the UK to breed in the spring after spending the winter in Africa. They will sit patiently on a perch waiting for a chance to catch their insect prey mid-air, their prey can include moths, butterflies, craneflies, and damselflies.
Spotted flycatcher with some insect prey, Photo taken by Ken Ramsay
There have been over 60 Canada geese counted on the Aird meadow loch with juveniles in tow which made for a lovely sight. Moorhen have also been spotted with lots of delightful chicks running around. Pink-footed geese have been seen enjoying the scrape. Pink-footed geese are one of the smaller goose species and have a short pink bill and pink legs. They mostly spend the summer in their breeding grounds in Iceland and Greenland returning to spend winter in the UK making it a surprise to see them here in the summer. House martins have also been flying around the reserve. House martins’ nest in the eaves of houses in towns and villages. The intricate mud nests take days for them to build, and they will often return to and use the same nest in following years.
Pink footed geese enjoying the scrape